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Thursday, May 08, 2008 Paul Jacob Supporters Answer Critics
Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 5/08/2008 01:35:00 PM | 
Drew Edmondson: Poster Child for Term Limits
Courtesy of one of our "Capitol reporters"
Drew Edmondson and his entourage filed into the House gallery on Thursday of last week to personally hear the debate and watch the vote on the state-wide elected official term limits bill (SB 1987). Edmondson was seen hastily walking out of the chamber in disgust of passage of the measure. Reportedly, Edmondson spent the rest of the morning arguing with fellow Democrat and lobbyist Pat Hall about this legislation passing the Senate and going to a vote of the people.
Edmondson is targeting Sen. Nancy Riley and Sen. Susan Paddack to change their orginal YES vote for term limits to a NO vote in the coming weeks. Seems Drew doesn't want to leave his office anytime soon...
From freepauljacob.com:
Yes, it’s true. Drew Edmondson, the four-time incumbent attorney general of Oklahoma, notorious for abusing the power of his office to prosecute honest supporters of Oklahomans’ citizen initiative rights, has publicly stated his opposition to a bill that would limit his tenure as well as that of other state officials. Read more...
GetRightOK.com: The fight of the session: Term Limits v. Entrenched Incumbent Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR, Poultry Lawsuit Posted at 4/23/2008 11:25:00 AM |
Attorney General Drew Edmondson on the Right of Citizens to Petition their Government: "Kill the Bill"
...from Norma Sapp of Oklahomans for Initiative Rights, updated at 2:35 PM:
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
 In the beginning, HB 3350 by Terrill and SB 1982 by Brogdon were bills making changes to our initiative and petition system in Oklahoma. These changes would have helped regular citizens be able to do initiatives. They would have made all the checks and balances up front before you spent all you time effort and money gathering the signatures, only to find out that you didn't place a comma in the right place and your petition is invalid.
The first thing to happen was SB 1982 was not heard in committee. In my search to find out why...I was told that Drew Edmondson called and told them to "kill the bill."
Rep. Terrill was having problems with HB 3350 until he made an agreement to change it to a Task Force bill. It has made it out of committee and through the floor. Last Wednesday, 3-26-08, they finally assigned it to the Rules committee on the Senate side.
When I found this out I spoke to Charlie Laster about moving it to General Government. He told me to speak to Owen Laughlin and Laughlin signed the slip to move it to General Government. Then on Thursday morning I got my notice for the committee and it wasn't on there!
So Monday, 3-31-08, I started my quest to find out what happened. After getting the run around for about two hours, I was finally told that it was lost in the Pro Tem's office and he had been sick lately so no one knew what was going on. Finally, an insider...[said she] had overheard the discussion about it last week. Her quote was "Not No, but HELL NO!" to allowing it to be heard in Gen. Gov. on Monday the 31st. Now I'm not even sure it will be heard in the rules committee on Wed. 4-2-08!
In all my discussions with Democrats, in or out of the Legislature. The only reason I get for apposing it is the fact that it was introduced by the same people who were championing TABOR [Taxpayers Bill of Rights].
What is wrong with these people? It seems to me that Democrats hate Republicans simply because they are Republican. And it isn't solely Democrats who hate. I also hear Republicans talk about Democrats the same way?
In the mean time my organization (Oklahoman's for Initiative Rights) is caught up in the fight and we are the losers.
In a conversation with Mary Easley yesterday, she said there was nothing wrong with our system and she could not support the bill. If there is nothing wrong with the system then how do we have people who have been indicted over this subject? And why is Drew Edmondson sticking his nose into the process of the Legislature? And why did they listen to his order to KILL THE BILL?
This is just to let you know about the shenanigan's going on. It may be normal politics but it isn't right.
Labels: HB 3350, Paul Jacob TABOR, Rep. Randy Terrill, SB 1982, Sen. Brogdon Posted at 4/02/2008 09:18:00 AM |
Does this look Familiar?
Last Fall, OKPNS reported on the harassment techniques being used in Oklahoma to intimidate citizens from signing petitions. The Oklahoma Civil Rights Initiative, the signatures for which were being collected in this video, is still in limbo, with the right of Oklahomans to vote on the issue being debated.
OKPNS has covered extensively the attempts by Oklahoma's attorney General Drew Edmondson to block the citizen initiative process, in the case of the "Oklahoma 3," in which Paul Jacob and two others are facing possible prison sentences of up to ten years on technicalities of Oklahoma residency requirements.
This problem, of trying to intimidate citizens who want to petition their state government is not isolated to Oklahoma. In this video, a township in the Detroit, MI area are facing the problem of state employees trying to physically block township citizens from signing a petition to recall a politician.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Labels: Oklahoma 3, Oklahoma Civil Rights Initiative, Paul Jacob TABOR, Petition Posted at 4/01/2008 09:30:00 AM |
Exclusive: Paul Jacob Speaks Out Today in Oklahoma City
OKPNS had the privilege of interviewing Paul Jacob today after his scheduling-hearing in Oklahoma City. Paul Jacob, along with Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter, now called the "Oklahoma 3" have been indicted on felony charges of violating Oklahoma's statute requiring petition circulators to be residents of Oklahoma. Jacob and the others are denying the charges.
The preliminary hearing will be July 23, 2008, at the Oklahoma County Courthouse, and Jacob is encouraging anyone who lives within driving distance to be there to defend the Oklahoma 3, and support the voter initiative process.
Paul Jacob talks about his Save the Initiative Blog Tour, and what supporters within Oklahoma and nationwide can do to not only save the Oklahoma 3, but also the ballot initiative process. He says he doesn't feel the media has done an adequate job of covering this topic, and that it is up to the bloggers to get the word out:
Also see:
Labels: Oklahoma 3, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 3/13/2008 05:27:00 PM |
Paul Jacob Scheduling-Hearing Today The scheduling-hearing for Paul Jacob of the "Oklahoma 3" will be held today, at the Oklahoma County Courthouse at 1:30pm.
The background of this case is detailed on the Free Paul Jacob website:
National term limits leader and initiative rights advocate Paul Jacob and two others were indicted in Oklahoma October 2, 2007, on felony charges of violating the state’s statute requiring petition circulators to be residents of Oklahoma. “This indictment is not about the law, but about politics—ugly, anti-democratic politics,” said Paul Jacob, president of the pro-initiative group Citizens in Charge and a senior fellow at the Sam Adams Alliance, a grassroots political organization. “Their prosecution is a 100-percent politically-motivated attempt to threaten and intimidate me, and any other citizen wishing to petition their government.” Jacob and his co-defendents — Susan Johnson, president of National Voter Outreach, a petition management firm, and Rick Carpenter, the proponent of the controversial 2005 initiative that would have set a cap on state government spending that could only be lifted by a vote of the people — pled not guilty....(more)At his arraignment in January, Jacob said that he has "never heard of a prosecutor, other than maybe Nifong, to play it as political as Drew Edmondson," is in his current case - which is a dispute over whether or not he, Johnson and Carpenter fulfilled Oklahoma's residency requirements prior to collecting signatures for a ballot initiative which did not become law. Last October, Jacob released a statement: What Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson is trying to do to me is wrong. In America, we cherish the right to engage in politics, to speak our minds, to promote our candidate, to work to pass a voter initiative, without fear of reprisal. That is why today is such a sad day, not only for me, but for all of us who love the initiative process and the right of citizens to control their government....Stay tuned here for updates on this case. Labels: Oklahoma 3, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 3/13/2008 10:30:00 AM |
Petitioning your State Government is Getting More and More Difficult
Michael McNutt of the Capitol Bureau reports that the House subcommittee on elections and redistricting passed two measures yesterday, to be heard by the House Rules Committee, which would make collecting signatures in Oklahoma more difficult. The measures are aimed at preventing fraudulent and duplicate signatures on ballots.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Paul Jacob, who is one of the "Oklahoma 3" being tried right now for allegedly collecting signatures as non-residents of Oklahoma (allegations which are demonstrably untrue, according to Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter). When I spoke to Mr. Jacob on in January, one of the things he explained to me was that for a citizen, deciding to begin an initiative (e.g. for term limits, spending limits, government accountability, etc..) requires that citizen to count the cost, personally, and those costs can be astromical, personally and professionally. There is an enormous amount of time (away from family, career, personal life), and often a huge financial burden involved. But when the additional cost of legal retaliation by the government becomes a consideration, many citizens decide they simply cannot take that risk, and will “shut up.” Jacob’s goal, in working through his own legal battle, through his foundation (Citizens in Charge), through the Sam Adams Alliance and Foundation, and now through the “Save the Initiative Blog Tour” is to reduce the fear of such legal action against citizens by their government. Labels: Paul Jacob TABOR, Petition, Rep. Mike Shelton, Rep. Randy Terrill Posted at 2/21/2008 08:03:00 AM |
"The Oklahoma 3" Rally with Paul Jacob, Sen. Randy BrogdonMonday, January 28, 2008Paul Jacob’s Arraignment Is @1:30 PM CST TomorrowFrom Ft. Hard Knox: By Jenn Sierra Paul Jacob’s arraignment is at 1:30 pm CST tomorrow (Today). He’s been reindicted for on charges that he and two others violated residency requirements for petition signature gatherers. Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma’s Attorney General, keeps, in effect, “moving the goal post,” on these signature requirements, retroactively, to try to assure that his legal action against the “Oklahoma 3″ is finally taken seriously. His actions have been quite bizarre, not to mention inappropriate. Once you have an opportunity to research the facts of this case for yourself (there are several links following to get you started), please consider calling the attorney general’s office in Oklahoma to let him know how you feel about this re-indictment. Remember to be respectful and polite, and to objectively state your opinion (personal attacks are never appropriate). The phone # is 405-521-3921. Read more... Related: Labels: Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 1/28/2008 01:30:00 PM |
Boss Hog Needs a HOG ActW.A.D. Edmondson From The Weblog For Mr. GOP: We all remember Boss Hog (or was it Hogg) from “The Dukes of Hazzard” Boss was a corrupt little man eager to get the arm of the law fully enforced on any minor (or supposed) infraction. At the same time he used his power to secure that he would never have any negative implications reflected on his own nefarious activities. To the surprise of very few, Oklahoma has its own “Boss Hog”. What may not be known is the degree to which he has empowered himself to act with impunity while politically and legally persecuting those who dare to disagree with him. It will also be of no surprise to suggest that our own Attorney General Drew Edmondson is Oklahoma’s version of the overstuffed, height challenged, self-important hick from the back woods. Read more... Related: The News Star (Monroe, LA): In Oklahoma, freedom's not OK Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 1/22/2008 08:05:00 AM |
"Oklahoma 3" Rally Set for January 28thThe arraignment of the Oklahoma 3, regarding the new indictment issued through Attorney General Edmondson’s office, has been scheduled for Monday, January 28. Supporters of the Oklahoma 3 have scheduled a noon news conference outside the courthouse, just prior to the 1:30 pm arraignment. If you live close to Oklahoma City, we hope you will try to come out and show your support at the news conference, to let the Oklahoma 3 know that we’re behind them (and to let AG Edmondson know that we’re not behind him!). Where: Oklahoma County Courthouse 321 Park Ave. Oklahoma City When: Monday, January 28 News Conference: Noon Arraignment: 1:30 pm Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 1/21/2008 11:01:00 AM |
W. A. Drew Edmondson Re-Indicts "Oklahoma 3"W. A. D. Edmondson From FreePaulJacob.com: The arraignment of the Oklahoma 3, regarding the new indictment issued through Attorney General Edmondson’s office, has been scheduled for Monday, January 28. Supporters of the Oklahoma 3 have scheduled a noon news conference outside the courthouse, just prior to the 1:30 pm arraignment. Read more... Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 1/15/2008 12:02:00 PM |
Oklahoma’s Boss Tweed: Drew EdmondsonThe Chicago Daily Observer ranked W. A. D. Edmondson's indictment of Paul Jacob - along with two others - as one of their "Seven Most Underreported Stories of 2007." As we all know, all seven of those slots could have legitimately contained stories from Oklahoma. Luckily for W.A.D., he has the bought and paid for, lazy Oklahoma press, to protect him. From the Chicago Daily Observer: "An actual local Civil Rights activist was arrested and brought in chains before an Oklahoma court charged with circulating petitions as non residents of the state. Paul Jacob, a fellow at Chicago’s Sam Adams Alliance faces 10 years in prison for practicing the 1st amendment, in a prominent case in the eyes of the Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine, yet totally ignored by the Chicago Media." Read more... Related: Doug Bandow: Oklahoma’s Boss Tweed: Drew Edmondson Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 1/13/2008 03:05:00 PM |
Appeal of Oklahoma residency requirement filed in federal court
Labels: Paul Jacob TABOR, Yes On Term Limits Posted at 1/09/2008 11:11:00 AM |
W.A.D. Edmondson A Grinch?
Email we received today from redstate.com:
Dear RedState Reader, Drew Edmondson is the Oklahoma Attorney General. Recently he rounded up conservative activists and threw them in jail for circulating petitions to get conservatives on the ballot. Now, however, Oklahoma Atty Gen. Drew Edmondson has done something even nuttier. He has issued an advisory opinion from the Attorney General's Office directing universities and public employees in Oklahoma to refrain from using or writing the word "Christmas." Mark Tapscott with the Washington Examiner has the details. Mark notes, "Edmondson issued an advisory opinion to officials at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford advising them that the word "Christmas" should not be spoken by any employee of the state school, not written in any official holiday decorations." Attorney General Edmondson can be reached at 405-521-3921. Please call and wish him a Merry Christmas and ask why he banned Christmas. All the best and Merry Christmas to you,
ChristianNewsWire.com: Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bans the Word 'Christmas' Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 12/20/2007 02:05:00 PM |
Oklahoma 3 Are Re-indicted!Free Paul Jacob: Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson has re-indicted the Oklahoma 3—Paul Jacob, Rick Carpenter and Susan Johnson. His outrageous prosecution now continues, after the AG had, several weeks ago, quietly dismissed the grand jury indictment against the three. Paul Jacob made the following statement regarding his re-indictment: Read more... Related: A mash-up video, about the Oklahoma AG's attack on "The Oklahoma 3". Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 12/08/2007 10:36:00 PM |
W.A.D. Edmondson Tells Critics to Go to Hell!Oklahoma Attorney General W. A. Drew Edmondson wrote a response letter to a recent Wall Street Journal “editorial that was critical of his political indictment of Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter. Any observer of politics, or ordinary citizen for that matter, should be appalled at the sheer arrogance that is on display in Edmondson's letter. For example. Edmondson writes in his first sentence:
"I was surprised at the vigor with which you condemned the state for our prosecution of three individuals who are charged with violating Oklahoma campaign laws."No Mr. Edmondson, WSJ is condemning you because you are trampling over the first amendment and abusing your power as attorney general to simply harass and intimidate these people. We all know how the game is played in these types of frivolous lawsuits brought by overzealous politicians. The real aim is not to win the case, but to drain the defendants' of time, money - and worst of all their peace of mind! Edmondson again attempts to assault the character of the defendants: "The signature gatherers Carpenter, Jacob and Johnson brought into Oklahoma had no intent to live here. They came only to do a job and then move on. They were not residents." From the Sam Adams Alliance website:"Paul outlines in his statement that, as an advisor to the petition drive, he worked with Oklahomans in Action (the backers of the TABOR initiative) to obtain the best petition services, and then to monitor the drive's progress. Oklahomans in Action contracted with National Voter Outreach (NVO), a petition company that had conducted many successful petition drives in the past. The contract specifically stated that NVO be familiar with Oklahoma's petitioning laws." Read more... Edmondson continues: "It’s perfectly legal for out-of-state interests to finance a petition drive. They just have to follow Oklahoma law which includes using only qualified electors to gather signatures. The main point your editorial writers missed is that, through their allegedly illegal actions, Carpenter, Jacob and Johnson silenced the voices of the Oklahoma voters who signed the initiative petition." From Sam Adams Alliance:"Petitioners did not have an easy job of conducting the drive, however—in fact, they faced an aggressive campaign of blockers who were paid by the opposition to harass petitioners and prevent voters from signing the petitions. Needless to say, as a result many petitioners left Oklahoma, and not enough circulators could be found to successfully continue the drive. However, Paul was then informed that under Oklahoma's residency statute, people could move to Oklahoma, immediately declare residency, and thus qualify to begin circulating a petition. NVO received advice and approval directly from officials in the Secretary of State's office, confirming this information. This information was also consistent with the Oklahoma Supreme Court's ruling in a previous case challenging a petition drive on the basis of residency, as well as with Paul's experience monitoring ballot drives in Oklahoma in the 1990s." Read more...Instead of playing politics and running for governor, maybe W. A. D. should be boning up on his law: "Oklahoma law requires signature gatherers to be residents, and a grand jury that reviewed the evidence found Carpenter, Jacob and Johnson “knowingly, willfully, fraudulently and feloniously” violated that law." Ballot Access News: "The Oklahoma indictment against Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter, for allegedly conspiring to bring out-of-staters to circulate an initiative petition in Oklahoma in 2006, has been dismissed. However, it is likely to be re-filed. The original indictment apparently suffered from a legal flaw relating to the composition of multi-county grand juries. If there is to be a new indictment, it will be brought directly by Oklahoma’s Democratic Attorney General, Drew Edmondson." Read more... And the cherry on top of the ice cream! "If you don’t like this particular statute, go to the legislature and change it." W.A. Drew Edmondson Related: NW Republican: Paul Jacob persecutor feeling the heat LegalNewsline.com: Edmondson wants activists jailed over ballot signatures Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR, Poultry Lawsuit Posted at 12/03/2007 08:33:00 PM |
Video: Former Political Prisoner Discusses Edmondson Indictment
Sam Adams Foundation senior advisor and term limits champion Paul Jacob discusses his politically-motivated indictment in Oklahoma and the potential criminalization of politics. Our Constitutional rights of free speech, association and the right to petition are in jeopardy. Find out more at www.samadamsalliance.org and www.freepauljacob.com.
Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 11/27/2007 11:53:00 AM |
Civil Rights For O.K
Last November, as Republicans across the country suffered a sweeping defeat, voters in the blue state of Michigan gave conservatives at least one reason to celebrate by passing the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a ballot measure to abolish racial preferences in public education, public employment, and public contracting. Buoyed by their success in California, Washington. and Michigan, opponents of preferences, led by the American Civil Rights Institute, are moving forward on their most ambitious project yet: a drive to pass similar ballot initiatives in five states in 2008. Of course, they face organized and entrenched opposition in all five states. But surprisingly, they face a uniquely difficult set of challenges in the red state of Oklahoma, where institutional and political forces conspire against those who would put ballot measures directly before the people.
Oklahoma’s initiative and referendum process is among the most onerous in the United States. If a citizen or group wants to put a measure on the ballot, they only have 90 days to gather over 165,000 signatures (only Massachusetts limits petitioners to a shorter time frame). In addition, only residents of Oklahoma can circulate petitions, so out-of-state groups are limited to an advisory and/or fundraising role. Other states have similar residency requirements, but Oklahoma is unique in that a recent Oklahoma court decision interpreted the law to mean that only people who intend to be “permanent” residents of the state can gather signatures. Anyone who moves to Oklahoma temporarily to help put an initiative on the ballot does so at his peril.
Read More Labels: Oklahoma Initiative and Referendum, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 11/27/2007 10:47:00 AM |
Paul Jacob Indictment Dismissed According to the website Ballot Access News, the indictments against Paul Jacobs and two other defendants have been dismissed.
The Oklahoma indictment against Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter, for allegedly conspiring to bring out-of-staters to circulate an initiative petition in Oklahoma in 2006, has been dismissed. However, it is likely to be re-filed. The original indictment apparently suffered from a legal flaw relating to the composition of multi-county grand juries. If there is to be a new indictment, it will be brought directly by Oklahoma’s Democratic Attorney General, Drew Edmondson.Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 11/22/2007 01:51:00 PM |
"Ayatollah" Edmondson Condemns Legislators Who Refuse QuransAttorney General Drew Edmondson - who has come to typify arrogance of power and tin ear political instincts - had the sheer audacity to add his name recently to a group that is criticizing legislators who refused to accept Centennial Qurans a few weeks ago. Following in the fine tradition of oppressive Islamic governments around the world, Mr. Edmondon routinely intimidates chicken farmers trying to provide for their families, jails ordinary citizens attempting to petition their government, and disregards the law to achieve his objectives. Way to go Drew!Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR, Poultry Lawsuit Posted at 11/19/2007 08:39:00 AM |
Steve Forbes: "Has North Korea Annexed Oklahoma?"
 An extraordinary incident unfolded in the state of Oklahoma on Oct. 2. Three individuals were arrested, shackled and arraigned. Their crime: trying to curb the spending excesses of Sooner State politicians. They were accused of violating an arcane and certainly unconstitutional law that imposes restrictions on who can circulate petitions in the state.
Paul Jacob--president of the pro-initiative group Citizens in Charge and a senior fellow at the Sam Adams Alliance, a grassroots political organization--and colleagues Susan Johnson and Rick Carpenter incurred the wrath of Oklahoma's Soviet-minded political establishment for trying in 2005 to get an initiative on the ballot to limit state spending. The three could get as many as ten years in prison.
Back in 2005, despite organized harassment from unions and other pro-government forces, Jacob and other activists--with the help of a professional petition-signing firm--managed to collect the required number of names to get the antispending item on the ballot. In a tantrum worthy of an Iranian ayatollah the pro-political class Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the petitions invalid. Read more...Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 11/13/2007 12:40:00 PM |
Paul Jacob Discusses the Criminalization of Politics Part 1 & 2Friday, October 26, 2007Reynolds: "Why Is a Liberal, Out-of-State Group Praising Edmondson?”FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Mike Reynolds
Capitol: (405) 557-7337
OKLAHOMA CITY (October 26, 2007) – Although the Washington, DC-based Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) claims to be a "progressive 'think-and-do' tank" eager to "reinvigorate the initiative process among state and national progressive organizations...." it’s actions undercut that claims, state Rep. Mike Reynolds said today.
BISC statements imply that it upholds the values of democracy and citizen initiative rights, and is a friend of the rule of law.
"But it seems this is only true when BISC wants to advance its own political agenda through initiatives," said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, responding to a recent statement issued by the Center. "BISC is apparently all in favor of hauling supporters off to prison if they work for initiatives BISC doesn't like."
An October 22 press release issued by the organization applies its BISC-quicked logic to the case of Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter, leaders in a recent Oklahoma initiative to limit state spending often referred to as a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). If convicted of participating in democracy they could go to prison for up to 10 years.
According to BISC, the Oklahoma three are "crooks [who] have worked in this arena long enough to know the laws. They just thought they could get away with ignoring them. In fact, we have found that most right-wing ballot initiative players operate with complete disregard for state laws meant to ensure an open and honest process of putting issues on the ballot."
BISC's blanket characterization of "right-wing ballot initiative players" immediately suggests an ideological bias, Reynolds said.
But worse, said Reynolds, "BISC is dishonest to claim that the Oklahoma Three 'thought they could get away with ignoring' Oklahoma's law that petition circulators be residents. BISC links to Paul Jacob's statement of self-defense but ignores his explanation of how the state changed the rules, after the fact, on what constitutes residency. At freepauljacob.com, Mister Jacob reports in detail on the effort he and others made to ensure that they were complying with the law, a law that contrary to BISC's assertions does not in fact do anything to ensure an open and honest ballot process.
"If BISC thinks Jacob is wrong on the facts, why don't they answer him?" Reynolds asked. "Why don't they refute him? Their attack is clearly not about facts or objective law. It's sad that political activists who make use of the initiative process themselves refuse to see the glaring injustice and unconstitutionality here, which could be extended to them too one day. And it is an Orwellian inversion to imply that abetting the exercise by Oklahoma citizens of their constitutionally guaranteed citizen initiative rights is in and of itself a form of sabotage of those rights."
BISC Executive Director Kristina Wilfore has even gone so far as to submit a letter of praise to Attorney General Edmondson stressing that the TABOR campaign was funded and enjoining Edmondson to look into the "network of funders" that has supported this and other petition drives.
“BISC is not a credible source of information,” said Reynolds. “It’s on the extreme left, supported by donations from the National Abortion Rights Action League and billionaire George Soros's Open Society Foundation. BISC is about using the initiative process to promote the leftwing agenda of its donors. Contrary to its rhetoric about ‘out of state’ interests, BISC itself provides direct donations to ballot measures in multiple states.
“BISC ideologically opposes TABOR initiatives,” said Reynolds. “In 2006, Nebraska campaign filings show that BISC was paid to train people in blocking a TABOR petition drive. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against three Nebraska cities because they violated the 1st Amendment rights of TABOR petitioners."
“BISC should be ashamed enough of its admitted role in campaigns designed to harass petitioners and block voters from deciding issues like TABOR,” Reynolds concluded. “But now we see their desire to help in the AG’s witch-hunt against the initiative process, to actually throw their political opponents in prison. That's a sad commentary on BISC.”
The state representative pointed to BISC’s own statement that their help in the prosecution of these three individuals by the AG is “a continuation of those efforts” to block TABOR from the ballot.
### Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR, Rep. Mike Reynolds Posted at 10/26/2007 10:16:00 PM |
Picture of the Day
Courtesy of freepauljacob.com
Monday, October 15, 2007
Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR, Picture of the Day Posted at 10/19/2007 03:52:00 PM |
Moderation for Everybody
Labels: Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 10/15/2007 07:03:00 PM |
Oklahoma's Swinging Gate of Double Standards:Don't be Found on the Wrong Side of the Political Gate Attorney General Drew Edmondson Practicing a Double Standard?
Oklahoma Gamefowl Breeders Association
Contact: Val Holland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. 580-369-5259
Email: OGBAoffice@gmail.com
One Oklahoman and two residents of other states now know about the double standard of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and State Attorney General, Drew Edmondson. We are Oklahoma residents and have found the Oklahoma Supreme Court decisions on signature gathering for initiative petitions to amount to a two sided coin. It is as if they ask which side of the gate you want this group on.
When opposing the referendum on cockfighting, we found that many individuals came in from outside Oklahoma to become residents, in order to gather signatures for the petition to ban cockfighting. The Supreme Court was aware of this and so was Drew Edmondson. Not one of those found to have broken Oklahoma law was arrested, nor were their signatures disallowed except in one case where the petitioner put an out of state address on the petition's affidavit. During this time, the question of outside petitioners and organizers were called to the attention of our State Attorney General. Here is where the gate was locked. We were told it was not against Oklahoma law for outside signature gathers to claim residency and collect signatures.
It was as if the same law that put three people under arrest this last week, in leg chains, did not apply to the exact same thing done during the signature gathering of the cockfighting petition. We now ask, is it law or politics? We lost our rights, who will next? It may be tax reform, cockfighting or any other issue important to the citizens of Oklahoma that will be decided by which side of the gate they choose to place you.
As Oklahomans, we feel that the day of double sided interpretation of the law needs to end. We hope all Oklahomans when voting for Attorney General and retaining those seated in our Supreme Court, question if we want them in or outside of the gate. The press reported Governor Brad Henry won with the cockfighting vote when first elected. We are committed as an organization and as Oklahomans to now turn our efforts to making sure at election time, to elect those who uphold our laws in a consistent and fair manner. We pray our fellow Oklahomans will do the same. I will assure you the only common ground we have with those who petitioned for the Tabor bill is bewilderment about how a law can have two completely different outcomes, for the exact same action. Justice is not blind in Oklahoma. Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Paul Jacob TABOR Posted at 10/14/2007 10:24:00 PM |
State Rep.Charles Key on Indictment of Petition Drive Organizers: "Has Attorney General Edmondson Read the Constitution He Is Sworn to Uphold?" OKLAHOMA CITY - "Our attorney general is treating the constitutions of this country and this state like so much tissue paper to sneeze on," state Rep. Charles Key said today in response to the recent indictment of three citizen activists under fire for helping Oklahoma citizens petition their government.
The October 2 indictment of Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter-who worked on a petition drive to put a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) measure on the 2006 ballot-is "a grotesque abuse of Edmondson's office," Key said.
The measure would have limited the growth of state spending.
Jacob, president of Citizens in Charge; Johnson, president of National Voter Outreach; and Carpenter, president of Oklahomans in Action, are charged with willfully flouting a residency requirement for persons gathering signatures for the petition. If convicted, the three could be imprisoned for ten years.
Key suggested that the four-term attorney general take the time to read the U.S. Constitution and the Oklahoma State Constitution.
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